Explaining that every one knows the mercy of God, and every one knows the wrath of God; and all are fleeing from the wrath of God and clinging to the mercy of God; but the Most High God has concealed wraths in mercy and mercies in wrath. This is God's mystification and disguise and contrivance to the end that the discerning who see by the Light of God may be separated from those who see (only) the present and the visible; for (He created death and life) that He might try you, which of you is most righteous in his works.

گفت درویشی به درویشی که تو ** چون بدیدی حضرت حق را بگو 420

One dervish said to another, “Tell (me), what was thy vision of the Presence of God?”

گفت بی‌چون دیدم اما بهر قال ** بازگویم مختصر آن را مثال

He replied, “My vision was ineffable; but for the sake of argument I will briefly declare a parable thereof.

دیدمش سوی چپ او آذری ** سوی دست راست جوی کوثری

I beheld Him with a fire on His left, and on the right a stream (like) Kawthar:

سوی چپش بس جهان‌سوز آتشی ** سوی دست راستش جوی خوشی

On His left an exceedingly world-consuming fire, on His right hand a sweet river.

سوی آن آتش گروهی برده دست ** بهر آن کوثر گروهی شاد و مست

One party put forth their hands towards the fire, (while) another party were rejoicing and intoxicated (with desire) for that Kawthar.

لیک لعب بازگونه بود سخت ** پیش پای هر شقی و نیکبخت 425

But ’twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation.

هر که در آتش همی رفت و شرر ** از میان آب بر می‌کرد سر

Whoever went into the fire and sparks was emerging from the midst of the water;

هر که سوی آب می‌رفت از میان ** او در آتش یافت می‌شد در زمان

Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at once found to be in the fire;

هر که سوی راست شد و آب زلال ** سر ز آتش بر زد از سوی شمال

Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water would put forth his head from the fire on the left;

وانک شد سوی شمال آتشین ** سر برون می‌کرد از سوی یمین

And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on the right.

کم کسی بر سر این مضمر زدی ** لاجرم کم کس در آن آتش شدی 430

Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this occult (matter); consequently, seldom would any one go into the fire;

جز کسی که بر سرش اقبال ریخت ** کو رها کرد آب و در آتش گریخت

(None would go) except him upon whom felicity was shed, so that he abandoned the water and took refuge in the fire.

کرده ذوق نقد را معبود خلق ** لاجرم زین لعب مغبون بود خلق

The people made the pleasure that was actually present their object of worship; consequently the people were swindled by this game.

جوق‌جوق وصف صف از حرص و شتاب ** محترز ز آتش گریزان سوی آب

Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) on their guard against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the water.

لاجرم ز آتش برآوردند سر ** اعتبارالاعتبار ای بی‌خبر

Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst) the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!

بانگ می‌زد آتش ای گیجان گول ** من نیم آتش منم چشمه‌ی قبول 435

The fire was crying, ‘O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a delectable fountain.

چشم‌بندی کرده‌اند ای بی‌نظر ** در من آی و هیچ مگریز از شرر

A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come into me and never flee from the sparks.

ای خلیل اینجا شرار و دود نیست ** جز که سحر و خدعه‌ی نمرود نیست

O (thou who art as) Khalíl (Abraham), here are no sparks and smoke: ’tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.

چون خلیل حق اگر فرزانه‌ای ** آتش آب تست و تو پروانه‌ای

If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water, and thou art the moth.’”

جان پروانه همی‌دارد ندا ** کای دریغا صد هزارم پر بدی

The soul of the moth is always crying, “Oh, alas, would that I had a hundred thousand wings,

تا همی سوزید ز آتش بی‌امان ** کوری چشم و دل نامحرمان 440

That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire, to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!

بر من آرد رحم جاهل از خری ** من برو رحم آرم از بینش‌وری

The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from clairvoyance.

خاصه این آتش که جان آبهاست ** کار پروانه به عکس کار ماست

Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters (delights); (but) the behaviour of the (ignorant) moth is contrary to ours.

او ببینند نور و در ناری رود ** دل ببیند نار و در نوری شود

It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic) sees the fire and goes into a Light.”

این چنین لعب آمد از رب جلیل ** تا ببینی کیست از آل خلیل

Such a (deceptive) game is played by the Glorious God in order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalíl (Abraham).

آتشی را شکل آبی داده‌اند ** واندر آتش چشمه‌ای بگشاده‌اند 445

A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in the fire a fountain has been opened.

ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن

A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;

خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود

(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.

چونک جادو می‌نماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین

When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?

لاجرم از سحر یزدان قرن قرن ** اندر افتادند چون زن زیر پهن

Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (sub marito). [Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (under her husband).]

ساحرانشان بنده بودند و غلام ** اندر افتادند چون صعوه به دام 450

Their magicians were slaves and servants, and fell into the trap (of Divine cunning) like wagtails.

هین بخوان قرآن ببین سحر حلال ** سرنگونی مکرهای کالجبال

Hark, read the Qur’án and behold lawful magic (in) the overthrow of plots (huge) as the mountains.

من نیم فرعون کایم سوی نیل ** سوی آتش می‌روم من چون خلیل

“I am not (like) Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile; I am going towards the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham).

نیست آتش هست آن ماء معین ** وآن دگر از مکر آب آتشین

’Tis not fire; (in reality) ’tis flowing water, (while) the other, through (Divine) cunning, is water whereof the (real) nature is fire.

پس نکو گفت آن رسول خوش‌جواز ** ذره‌ای عقلت به از صوم و نماز

Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer,”

زانک عقلت جوهرست این دو عرض ** این دو در تکمیل آن شد مفترض 455

Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two (things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the case of persons who possess) the full complement of it,

تا جلا باشد مر آن آیینه را ** که صفا آید ز طاعت سینه را

In order that the mirror (intelligence) may have (a bright) lustre; for purity comes to the breast (heart) from piety.

لیک گر آیینه از بن فاسدست ** صیقل او را دیر باز آرد به دست

But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, (only) after a long time does the polisher get it back (to purity);

وان گزین آیینه که خوش مغرس است ** اندکی صیقل گری آن را بس است

While (in the case of) the fine mirror, which is (like) a goodly planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.

The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; (a doctrine) opposed to (that of) the Mu‘tazilites, who assert that particular (individual) intelligences are originally equal, and that this superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.

این تفاوت عقلها را نیک دان ** در مراتب از زمین تا آسمان

Know well that intelligences differ thus in degree from the earth to the sky.

هست عقلی هم‌چو قرص آفتاب ** هست عقلی کمتر از زهره و شهاب 460

There is an intelligence like the orb of the sun; there is an intelligence inferior to (the planet) Venus and the meteor.

هست عقلی چون چراغی سرخوشی ** هست عقلی چون ستاره‌ی آتشی

There is an intelligence like a tipsy (flickering) lamp; there is an intelligence like a star of fire,

زانک ابر از پیش آن چون وا جهد ** نور یزدان‌بین خردها بر دهد

Because, when the cloud is removed from it, it produces intellects that behold the Light of God.

عقل جزوی عقل را بدنام کرد ** کام دنیا مرد را بی‌کام کرد

The particular intelligence has given the (universal) intelligence a bad name: worldly desire has deprived the (worldly) man of his desire (in the world hereafter).

آن ز صیدی حسن صیادی بدید ** وین ز صیادی غم صیدی کشید

That (universal intelligence), through being a prey (to God), beheld the beauty of being a hunter, while this (particular intelligence), through being a hunter (of worldly goods), suffered the pain of being a prey (to perdition).

آن ز خدمت ناز مخدومی بیافت ** وآن ز مخدومی ز راه عز بتافت 465

The former, through service, gained the pride of lordship, while the latter, through lordship, turned from the path of glory.

آن ز فرعونی اسیر آب شد ** وز اسیری سبط صد سهراب شد

The latter, through being a Pharaoh, was taken captive by the water (of perdition), while the Israelites, through captivity, became (mighty as) a hundred Suhrábs.

لعب معکوسست و فرزین‌بند سخت ** حیله کم کن کار اقبالست و بخت

’Tis a topsy-turvy game and a terrible quandary; do not try (to escape by) cunning: ’tis (all) a matter of (Divine) favour and fortune.

بر حیال و حیله کم تن تار را ** که غنی ره کم دهد مکار را

Do not weave plots in vain imagination and cunning; for the Self-sufficient One does not give way to the contriver.